


Immortal In The Mix

by dairesfanficrefuge_archivist



Category: Dark Angel, Highlander - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-03-11
Updated: 2000-03-11
Packaged: 2018-12-18 06:16:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11868381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist/pseuds/dairesfanficrefuge_archivist
Summary: In the year 2019, Duncan MacLeod encounters an Immortal presence from an unexpected source – a genetically engineered human.





	Immortal In The Mix

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Daire, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Daire's Fanfic Refuge](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Daire%27s_Fanfic_Refuge). Deciding to give the stories a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Daire's Fanfic Refuge's collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/dairesfanficrefuge/profile).

Immortal In The Mix by MissyD

_Immortal In The Mix_

By MissyD 

A _Highlander/Dark Angel_ crossover fanfic 

This Highlander/Dark Angel crossover was written in response to a fanfic challenge posted by Ghost Cat on the Holyground Highlander Forum. Thanks (and lots of virtual catnip) go out to Ghost Cat for her beta reading skills. She put up with my numerous re-writes and asked the right questions to make this a truly better story. Any mistakes are solely my doing. 

**Disclaimer:** The characters and themes of both Highlander and Dark Angel belong to their respective owners. I merely borrowed them for a while and promise to return them unharmed. This story was written solely for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended. 

**Synopsis:** In the year 2019, Duncan MacLeod encounters an Immortal presence from an unexpected source – a genetically engineered human. 

For those of you not familiar with the series, Dark Angel, here's a quick primer. In Gillette, Wyoming, a group called Manticore created a group of genetically engineered human prototypes, the X5, who were designed to be the perfect soldiers. In 2009 a number of their perfect soldier, who were still children, escaped. A short-time later, terrorists unleashed an electromagnetic pulse over the U.S. It fried all the computers in the country, and the U.S. turned from world power to third world country overnight. In 2019, Max Guevara, one of the X5 prototypes, is living in Seattle, Washington, where she works as a bicycle messenger and performs various jobs for her friend, Logan Cale, who operates 'Eyes Only', the only free news outlet in the city. 

While it's not my first Highlander fanfic, this is my first crossover. Feedback, good or bad, will be greatly appreciated and can be sent to MissyD. 

Now, on with the show. . . 

* * *

**Part I**

Duncan MacLeod was busy working in his apartment. He had converted one of the two bedrooms into an office. Since the Pulse, there hadn't been much of a market for high-end antiques and art, but because most of his money had been in various banks in Europe, he hadn't been as financially hard hit by the Pulse as others. Always adaptable, he had switched from the antique business to security consultation. It wasn't his favorite line of work, but it was one he could do without interference by the militaristic government. He had briefly thought about leaving the States behind and moving to someplace in Europe, but he decided against it. It had been easier to create a new life and identity in Seattle when there were few computers to worry about. 

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. As he approached the door, he felt an odd sensation. It was like being in the presence of another Immortal, but it was different at the same time. MacLeod couldn't explain it. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. The resonance seemed skewed somehow, like the person emanating was destined to be Immortal, but there was something else mixed in – something he couldn't identify. 

A glance through the peephole in the door revealed a young woman dressed in the classic outfit of a bicycle messenger – baseball cap worn backwards and jacket. She was in her late teens or early twenties with dark hair and light olive-toned skin. 

He opened the door and the young woman jerked back like she had been hit in the face. The sensation emanating from her was stronger without the barrier of the door, but it was still unidentifiable. She stared at him for several seconds. A fleeting thought passed through MacLeod's mind that perhaps she felt the warning sensation as well. 

'Is there something I can help you with, Miss?' Duncan asked. 

The young woman jerked slightly when his voice brought her back to the present. She glanced at the package in her hand. 

'You Joseph Duncan?' 

MacLeod nodded. He had assumed the name, Joseph Duncan, when he'd returned to Washington after the Pulse. He had learned from Methos that their mutual friend, Joe Dawson, was in the middle stages of Alzheimer's Disease and had been placed in a nursing home. His family had been having trouble paying for his care. Duncan had stepped in and taken over the responsibility for his care – moving Joe to a better facility and paying all the bills. It had been more than twenty years since MacLeod had left the Seacouver area, but there was always the possibility that someone might recognize the name Duncan MacLeod, so he had assumed an alias and settled in Seattle, about an hour away. Only Joe's daughter and niece, his only remaining family, knew his true identity. 

'Yes, I'm Joseph Duncan.' The name still sounded strange to his ears. 

The young woman held the package out to him. 'Delivery.' After Duncan accepted the package she started to walk away. 'Have a nice day.' 

'Just a minute.' He dug into his pocket and pulled out some cash for a tip. The economy might be in the toilet, but he still used his manners. 

The young woman took the cash from him and flashed a smile of surprise. 'Thanks.' 

Before she could escape, MacLeod stopped her again. 'By the way, what's your name?' 

He watched the change in her facial features as she went on the defensive. 'Why? What's it to you?' They were simple questions, but full of hidden meaning. She was hiding from something or someone. 

Duncan smiled his most charming smile. 'I might want to send something through Jam Pony sometime, and I might want to ask specifically for you.' He shrugged as though to say, 'no ulterior motive intended.' 

'Max.' Again, a surprised look crossed her face. 

'Thank you, Max. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again.' 

Duncan watched as Max moved down the hall toward the stairs. He would definitely see her again – he had to get to the bottom of that odd sensation. Closing the door and heading toward his office, he paused only long enough to open the envelope and verify that it was the information he had requested from one of his contacts. Tossing the contents of the package on the desk, he picked up the telephone and dialed an international number. 

When the phone on the other end was answered, MacLeod wasted no time with small talk. 'Methos, I've got something I need you to look into for me.' 

* * *

**Part II**

Max glanced behind her when she reached her bike, half-expecting Duncan to follow her. She rode straight to Logan's apartment a few blocks away. He was the only person she had trusted with her secret, and she hoped he would be able to help her figure out what was going on. 

'Logan, I don't know what it was. It felt like a thousand volts of electricity hitting the top of my spine.' She paused in her pacing to lean against his desk. 'The only time I've felt anything even remotely like it has been when Lydecker was near, except this time it was a hundred times stronger.' 

Logan watched as Max paced back and forth in front of his desk. She moved like a cat, which wasn't surprising considering the feline DNA with which Manticore had spiked her gene pool. Could it be that they had added something else, something that would give a kind of warning when the conditions were right? 

'What did you say this guy's name was?' With her photographic memory, Logan knew she would remember. 

'Joseph Duncan.' Max glanced over her shoulder at her friend and rattled off MacLeod's address. 'Ever hear of him?' 

Logan considered the name. 'The name is familiar, but I can't recall where I've heard it. ' He pinned Max with his gaze. 'You mentioned you had felt that sensation when Lydecker was near. Could this guy be connected to Manticore?' 

Max shrugged her shoulders. 'I don't know. I don't think I've ever seen him before, and he didn't give any sign that he recognized me or that the sensation went both ways.' 

Logan nodded. 'Well, let's see what I can dig up on Joseph Duncan.' He looked up from his computer monitor as Max lifted the pager from its resting place on her shoulder. 

'Gotta bounce. See you later.' 

Five hours later, Logan was still at his computer. He'd been able to dig up very little on one Joseph Duncan. He couldn't discover any history for the man pre-Pulse. Joseph Duncan showed up in Seattle out of the blue after the Pulse, and opened a martial arts dojo on Market Street, where he taught self-defense, and a security consultation business that he ran out of his home. 

Logan stretched, then gave the wheels of his chair a half turn backwards to move himself away from his computer set up. He reached for the telephone and dialed a familiar number. 

'Seattle P.D., Detective Sung speaking.' 

'Matt, it's Logan. I need a favor.' 

'I'll do what I can, you know that.' Logan could almost see his friend smiling on the other end of the telephone line. 'What do you need?' 

'I need you to find out whatever you can about a Joseph Duncan.' Logan gave Matt the address supplied to him by Max. 

'Sure Logan, I'll see what I can dig up. But, what makes you think I can find anything on this guy when you haven't been able to?' 

Logan sighed. He'd been expecting that question. 'I don't know. There's something weird going on with this guy, and I can't figure out what it is.' 

* * *

**Part III**

The next morning MacLeod spent his daily workout thinking about Max and the strange reaction he had to her presence. He didn't think so, but it was entirely possible that he had been mistaken about the source of the sensation. He knew he had felt it, but maybe it hadn't come from the young woman. Maybe there had been another Immortal passing through the immediate area, close enough that Duncan could feel his Quickenings. The only way to put his mind to rest would be to put his theory to the test. 

Two hours later, MacLeod entered the large room that served as the hub of the Jam Pony operation. Looking around, he didn't see Max among the various employees milling around, but he did spot a rather nervous-looking man at the front desk. MacLeod approached the desk and drew the man's attention. 

'Hello, I'm looking for Max. Do you happen to know when she'll be in?' 

The man eyed MacLeod suspiciously. The Highlander was a little better dressed than Jam Pony's usual clientele. He wondered what Max had gotten involved in this time. 'She's out on a run. I don't know when she'll be back in.' 

For some reason, MacLeod figured this man kept better track of his employees than he was about to admit. He pulled a folded stack of money from his pocket and extracted a hundred dollar bill – in this economy money always brought results. Laying the money, along with one of his business cards, on the counter MacLeod said, 'why don't you give me a call when she comes in? I have some business with the young lady.' 

The man snorted. 'Max is far from a lady, and this isn't an answering service. You want to talk to Max, you'll have to find her yourself.' 

MacLeod withdrew the money from under the business card and moved to walk away. Normal watched his actions, his mind reeling. He'd like to think he was above accepting a bribe for information on one of his employees, but like everyone else these days, he was having trouble making ends meet. That hundred dollars could help a lot. 

He picked up the business card. 'Wait.' MacLeod paused and looked back at the man. 'What did you say you wanted with Max?' 

MacLeod returned to the counter and replaced the hundred-dollar bill. Normal eyed it covetously. 'I just need to talk to her about something. Will you have her give me a call when she comes in?' 

Normal sent a furtive glance around the room to be sure he wasn't being observed by his employees and grabbed the money before it could be withdrawn. 'I'll tell her you're looking for her, Mr. Duncan.' 

MacLeod nodded. 'Thanks, that's all I'm asking.' 

MacLeod turned to leave the building, but a young black woman blocked his path. 

'Can I help you?' 

She stepped closer and poked her finger into his chest. 'What's your business with my girl, Max?' 

Not to be outdone, MacLeod stepped closer, invading her personal space. 

'That's between Max and me.' He stepped around the young woman, only to find his path blocked a second time. 

Original Cindy stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. 'This ain't no dating service, so you can just get those thoughts right out of your head. Original Cindy would have remembered if Max had ever mentioned you.' 

MacLeod sighed. His patience was getting thinner by the minute. 'Like I said, it's between Max and me; and it isn't what you're thinking. She might have some information on something I'm looking into.' He placed his hands on Original Cindy's shoulders and gently pushed her out of his path. 'Now, if you'll excuse me?' He was gone before she could intercept him again. 

Original Cindy watched him walk out of Jam Pony. She turned to Sketchy, who had come to stand beside her. 'Now that's a man who might change Original Cindy's mind about the way she swings. Mmm!' 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Normal thrusting a package into her face. 

'Pick your tongue up off the floor and deliver this to 327 South Market.' 

* * *

Unbeknownst to the employees of Jam Pony, Duncan MacLeod stood waiting in the alley at the end of the building. When Max returned, he would learn once and for all whether she was the source of the sensation he had felt. He had mixed feelings on the matter. 

An hour later he received his answer. The faint, skewed presence of another Immortal coursed it way down his spine. He stepped out of the alley in time to see Max rolling her bicycle through the entrance to Jam Pony. There was no one else in sight. She was definitely the source. Now he had to figure out why the signature presence of Immortality emanating from the young woman was so different. 

* * *

As she neared the building housing the distribution center of Jam Pony, Max felt a jolt of electricity surge through the base of her skull. It was the same sensation she always felt when she was near Colonel Lydecker and again, the previous day, when she had made the delivery to Joseph Duncan. Come to think of it, she had sensed a somewhat muted version of the same sensation when she was around Zach. Maybe the sensation was related to something Manticore had put in her genetic make up. 

Before entering Jam Pony Max looked around. She didn't want to be caught inside if Lydecker was near. There was no sign of the Colonel or his army. 

She made her way to the bike rack, where she stored her bicycle for the day. She then moved to her locker. Her shift was up in a few minutes, and she wanted to get out of there before anyone could stop her. Max wanted to get to Logan's as soon as possible and learn what he had discovered about Joseph Duncan. 

Before she could get away, Sketchy appeared at her side. 'Hey, Max. Thought you should now. There was a man in here looking for you earlier. I think he paid Normal to give him a call when you showed up.' 

Max closed her locker door and turned to face her co-worker. 'Did you happen to hear this man's name?' 

'Yeah. Joseph Duncan.' 

Max was momentarily stunned. Questions flew through her mind. _Why was he looking for her? Did he know something she didn't? Was he working for Lydecker?_ She glanced over at Normal. He was talking on the telephone, seemingly ignoring her presence. She had to get out of there and to Logan's. 

'See you later.' Max headed toward the back entrance, where her motorcycle was parked. 

Sketchy stared after her, confused. 'Hey, what the hell's going on here?' He shook his head. 'Nobody tells me anything.' He then went in search of his friends and fellow co-workers. Maybe they could tell him something. 

* * *

'So, what did you find out about this Duncan guy?' Max asked as soon as Logan answered the door to his apartment. 

Logan led her through the apartment to his office. Once there he picked up a small stack of papers from his desk and handed them to her. 

'Not much here is there?' 

Logan sighed. 'Everybody I talked to has heard of this guy, but nobody really knows anything about him. What I have been able to learn is in there. I've got Matt looking into it. Maybe he can come up with more information.' 

Max glanced through the papers. They contained only sketchy information about Joseph Duncan and his current businesses. There was nothing there to give her any clue as to why she felt that strange sensation whenever she was around him. 

While she was looking through the papers, Logan had wheeled over to stare out the window. He turned to look at his friend. 'I think we may have to arrange a meeting with Duncan. It's risky, but it may be the only way to get answers.' He watched the emotions play over Max's face. He knew she was hatching some wild plan that would put her in danger, and he was helpless to stop her. 

'Max,' Logan warned. 'Don't do anything stupid. You don't know what this guy is about.' He wheeled his chair into a position between her and the door. Before he could say anything else, Max stepped around him and moved toward the door. 

She turned back to look at him before leaving. 'You worry too much.' 

'I wonder why?' Logan muttered toward the closed door. He sat staring into space for a moment, deep in thought. 

* * *

MacLeod spent his afternoon on the computer searching the Internet and using his somewhat limited hacking skills to get into Jam Pony's employee databases. Computers and the Internet weren't as popular among the general population as they had been at the turn of the century, but they were still widely used among those who could afford them. 

He'd managed to track Max's home address, obtained from Jam Pony's personnel files, to a building that had been listed as condemned. That wasn't surprising considering the state of the economy and the shortage of affordable housing. In fact, the rent he was paying was at least twice what the apartment was actually worth. 

What surprised him was the expired wanted poster he found on the Internet. The recent poster stated that she was wanted dead or alive for murder. MacLeod managed to trace the poster to a Colonel Lydecker, but after that the trail stopped cold. 

He was contemplating his next move when he felt the warning of the presence of another Immortal course its way down his spine. Methos. He'd recognize the signature presence of the world's oldest Immortal anywhere. 

MacLeod opened the door just as Methos raised his hand to knock. 'What the hell are you doing here?' 

Methos brushed pass MacLeod and entered the apartment. 'Nice to see you, too.' He took in his surroundings and turned a curious eye towards his friend. The two-bedroom apartment was not up to MacLeod's usual standards. 'Slumming?' Methos asked. 

MacLeod closed the door and leaned against it, his arms crossed over his chest. 'Around here, this is considered almost luxurious. You didn't answer my question. Why are you here? Besides that, how did you even manage to get a travel pass to get into this country?' 

Methos plopped down on the couch. 'I'm here because that little matter you asked me to look into is a lot bigger than either of us thought. I agree with you – something strange is going on, and I'm at a loss as to what it is. As for the pass, they'll let anyone in who comes here on business. I suppose they're hoping I'll invest some money and help shore up the failing economy.' 

MacLeod smiled and moved away from the door. 'So what did you find out?' He gestured for Methos to follow him into the office. 

'I could ask you the same question,' Methos said as he followed MacLeod. 'I'm assuming you did some searching on your own.' 

MacLeod remained silent as he booted up the computer and entered his password. Once the computer was up and operational, he turned to his friend. 'You're right, I did do some digging. But, all I turned up was her address and a recalled wanted poster that I traced to somebody named Lydecker. I haven't managed to find anything else.' 

Methos plopped down in the chair and promptly propped his feet up on the desk beside the computer monitor. To a casual observer he would have appeared to be relaxed with no care in the world. However, MacLeod wasn't a casual observer – he could see there was something weighing heavily on his friend's mind. 

'I found the same information you did, except I was able to trace Lydecker to a secret military project called Manticore. I managed to get into Manticore's files. What I found there frightens me, MacLeod, and I barely scratched the surface.' Methos sat up straight in the chair and turned towards the window, seemingly lost in thought. 'Manticore has been genetically engineering prototypes for the perfect human soldier – enhanced speed, agility, sight and hearing. The whole nine yards. 

'You've stumbled onto something dangerous, my friend.' Methos turned to look at MacLeod. 'I didn't dig any further. Instead I came here, because it's going to take both of us to deal with this. I'll see what else I can ferret out of Manticore's files from here.' 

'You know, Methos, I'm a big boy, and I can take care of myself.' MacLeod had been leaning against the wall beside the desk. 

'I do know that, but there's one thing I haven't mentioned yet.' 

MacLeod straightened. 'What?' 

'Lydecker is more than just dangerous. He's Immortal, and he doesn't play by the rules.' Methos paused. MacLeod had essentially been out of the game since taking Kell's head years before. 'He became Immortal around 1996. His teacher was killed before he learned more than the basics of how to use a sword, and Lydecker didn't try to find another one. Instead, he shoots his victims to death then beheads them with their own swords. He's killed a lot of powerful Immortals that way.' Methos broke eye contact with MacLeod and turned to the computer. He began typing what, to MacLeod, looked like gibberish. ' I thought you could use someone to watch your back.' 

Several minutes passed in silence. MacLeod had moved to stand in front of the window with his back to the room. He stared out, lost in thought. Methos worked methodically at the computer, hacking his way into Manticore's computer system. 

'Look, MacLeod, this may take a while,' Methos said, interrupting the silence. 'Why don't you go get me a beer, then go do whatever it is you usually do?' 

MacLeod turned from the window and silently left the room. A few moments later he returned and handed Methos a cold bottle of beer. 'Don't you need someone to watch your back? After all, isn't that why you really came here to finish hacking into Manticore?' 

Methos looked up from the computer. 'I'll be fine. I haven't gone in deep enough yet to set off any alarms.' Methos made a shooing motion with his hands. 'You're making me nervous, hovering liking that. Besides, I know how to cover my trail very well, thank you. I've been at this a long time. Now leave me alone so I can get some work done.' 

'Okay, okay, I get the point. I'll leave you alone.' MacLeod moved to the doorway. 'But I won't be far.' 

* * *

It had grown dark and a young woman crouched in the shadowy corner of the fire escape landing outside the office window. Because her presence had been masked by the signature of a fellow powerful Immortal neither of the two men inside the room had noticed her presence. Max hadn't been quite as lucky. The combined effects of being in close proximity to the two Immortals had nearly knocked her off her feet. It had taken great effort on her part to stay hidden and not run from the sensation. 

Max had listened in on the conversation between the two men, and now she had more questions than ever. Who was Methos? Who was Joseph Duncan, and why did Methos call him MacLeod? What did they mean Lydecker was Immortal? And most importantly, why were they interested in Lydecker and Manticore? 

She would have liked to stick around and find the answers, but she had to talk to Logan about what she had learned. 

* * *

Bling opened the door to reveal Detective Matt Sung standing on the threshold. Detective Sung walked through the open doorway and held out his hand in greeting. 

'How have you been? Logan around?' 

Bling shook the detective's hand and inclined his head toward the front of the apartment. 'I'm doing just fine. Logan is in his office. Go on back, though, I've got to tell you, whatever it is he's working on how is driving the man crazy. I haven't seen him this involved in something that isn't for Eyes Only.' 

Matt nodded and slapped the back of the man who was serving as Logan's physical therapist, housekeeper, cook, and confidante. 'Yeah,' he said with a grin, 'I know exactly what you mean.' 

He entered Logan's office just in time to hear his friend cursing under his breath. 'What's got you so hot under the collar?' 

Logan jerked around in surprise at Matt's voice. 'Oh, it's you. You find out anything?' 

Matt pulled a chair up next to Logan's desk and tossed a thin manila envelope into his friend's lap. 'Nice to see you, too.' 

Logan frowned. 'Sorry about that. This thing with Joseph Duncan is driving me crazy. I can't find anything on this guy's past. It's almost as if he doesn't exist.' 

Matt leaned back in his chair, legs stretched out in front and crossed at the ankles. 'Well, don't look now, but chances are he doesn't exist – or at least he didn't exist before the Pulse.' 

Logan eyed his friend suspiciously and picked up the envelope that was still lying in his lap. He skimmed through the contents, and then turned to his friend. 'Okay. Tell me what you found out.' 

'I obtained Mr. Duncan's driver's license picture from the DMV and ran a check on it. Nothing much came up in the current databases – just the same information you found about his business interests and his current address. However, something very interesting showed up when I ran a search through the archives.' 

'And?' Logan asked. 

'And, the picture matched up to an old DMV record for some guy named Duncan MacLeod.' 

'So you ran a search on MacLeod?' 

'The first record I found was from the late 1980's. MacLeod and Tessa Noel opened an antique store in Seacouver.' 

'Tessa Noel? The artist?' Logan interrupted. His father had kept one of Tessa Noel's sculptures in his office. 

'The same. When Noel died in 1993, MacLeod sold the store and bought a martial arts dojo, also in Seacouver. It also looks like he continued to operate a pretty exclusive antiques trade – strictly high-end stuff. Beginning around 1992 he split his time between Seacouver and Paris. Then around 1998 he seemed to just disappear off the map. What's even more interesting is that this guy's name turned up in a number of police reports. Apparently, he turned up in a lot of suspicious circumstances, but nothing was ever proven.' 

'Great,' Logan said, sitting back in his wheel chair. 'There's just one problem.' 

'Yeah, I know,' Matt sighed. 'How could Duncan MacLeod and Joseph Duncan be the same person? The DMV pictures are nearly identical. MacLeod would be an old man now. They can't be the same person, yet everything points to it.' 

Both men looked up at the sound of Max entering the room. 

'Logan, we've got to talk. Privately.' 

'Max, you remember Detective Matt Sung?' Logan gestured to the man sitting across from him. 'He's been helping me track down information on Joseph Duncan.' 

'Yeah, hi. Look, I don't mean to be rude, but this is important.' 

Logan looked at Max for a long moment. 'Yes, I know it's important. But, whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Matt.' 

Max sighed. She knew Logan well enough to know that he wasn't going to ask his friend to leave. Max also knew that if he were looking into something for Logan, Matt was probably a part of Eyes Only, the underground cyber network run by Logan, and could be trusted with her secret. 'Okay, I spied on Joseph Duncan . . .' The two men listened in silence as she told them what she had overheard. 

When she finished, everyone in the room was silent for several moments while they tried to assimilate the information. Logan broke the silence by clearing his throat. 'Looks like we need to pay Mr. Duncan a call.' 

**Part IV**

Five hours after Methos had started hacking into Manticore's files, he yelled for MacLeod to join him. When the Scot entered the room, Methos handed him a stack of papers that contained all the information he had gleaned from Manticore's computers. 

'It's worse than I suspected, MacLeod,' Methos said as he stood and walked over to the window. He stretched to ease the tension in his body. 

MacLeod eyed him curiously then began reading the information Methos had gathered. Manticore had experimented with genetics to create a genetically altered human – the perfect soldier with enhanced speed, agility, reflexes, sight and hearing – and Max's name was on the list of those 'created'. Beside her name was the notation 'Missing; apprehend at all costs.' Digging even further into the Manticore files, Methos had discovered a detailed record of the genetic information used in the experiment. MacLeod's eyes widened when he saw the notation for the feline genetic information that was responsible, in part, for the increased agility and eyesight. But it was gene 54, labeled only with the symbol for infinity that captured his attention. 

Further investigation had revealed that the genetic information, supplied by none other than Colonel Lydecker, resulted in an abundance of stem cells in the bloodstream and was responsible for enhanced healing abilities. There was a side note that gene 54 might have an additional benefit along with a potentially dangerous side effect. Those with that particular genetic information seemed to have the ability to recognize when another of their kind was present, but they were also prone to seizures that could be controlled only by the use of Tryptophan, an amino acid that increased seratonin levels in the brain. 

* * *

'Colonel?' 

Lydecker looked up from the papers he had been reading. 'Yes, what is it?' 

'Someone has hacked into the Manticore files. He was able to access information about Max Guevara and her genetic makeup.' 

Lydecker jerked off his reading glasses and tossed them onto his desk, followed quickly by the stack of papers he'd been reading. 'I'm going to assume that you were able to trace our hacker?' 

The soldier, still standing in the doorway, cringed. 'Yes sir. His name is Joseph Duncan. He managed to cover his trail pretty well, but that new security system we put in place finally managed to uncover his location. We traced him to an address here in Seattle.' He moved forward and handed the colonel a folder. 'We also pulled his driver's license picture. Should I inform Alpha team to prepare for a strike?' 

Lydecker flipped open the folder and looked at the picture lying on top of the stack of papers. He rose from his chair and turned his back to the soldier. He wondered if Duncan was Immortal. Lydecker hadn't recognized the man in the picture, but then he, himself, had been Immortal for a relatively short period of time, and very few of the Immortals he had run across during that time had lived to tell the tale. 

'Sir?' The question from the soldier still standing in the doorway interrupted Lydecker's train of thought. 

Lydecker sat back down at his desk. 'No, not yet. I want to check this guy out a little more before we go in.' He picked his glasses up and began chewing absently on one of the earpieces. He really didn't need the glasses – in fact, the lenses were plain plastic - they were just a way of making it appear that he was aging normally. 'You're dismissed.' 

The soldier saluted and left, closing the door behind him. Lydecker was already lost in thought. 

***** Flashback *****

Donald Lydecker was in the midst of a distinguished military career when his life turned sour. He'd served time in the army, including delta force, and had risen to the rank of Colonel. The death of his wife in 1995 had been the beginning of the end of his military. 

A few months after his wife's death he got behind the wheel of his car while drunk and ended up wrapping the vehicle around a tree. He thought he'd managed to survive the wreck unscathed until a Major under his command approached him a few days later. 

Major Marcus Carter told Lydecker about Immortality and the rules of the game. Carter had even offered to become Lydecker's teacher, but he had made one mistake. Carter had underestimated his commanding officer. Lydecker relied on no one but himself, never had and never would. Lydecker decided he didn't need a teacher. Carter had told him how to kill another Immortal. Why depend on a sword when a gun was so much more effective? 

Late one night Lydecker practiced the sharp-shooting skills he'd acquired in delta force and took Carter out with a single bullet to the head. He then separated Carter's head from his neck with Carter's own sword. That first Quickenings was the beginning of an addiction to the adrenaline rush produced when he received the life force of his victim. The best part was when a Private with a personal grudge against the Major had been convicted of his murder. No one had even suspected Lydecker. 

The next year, after being dishonorably discharged, Lydecker went to work for the Manticore Project. His official title was head of security, but he was really the muscle behind the brains. Like everyone else attached to the project, Lydecker had donated a genetic sample. The scientists had been ecstatic to learn of his unusual healing abilities. Those healing abilities were later added into the genetic mix for the prototype Manticore was seeking to create – the ultimate soldier. Later, once the prototypes were born, Lydecker took charge of their military training. 

When a dozen of his 'little soldiers' escaped in 2009 he took on the role of bounty hunter, determined to recapture each and every one and return them to Manticore. It was a goal he continued to pursue. He had managed to recapture a number of the runaways, including their leader, Zach. He was determined to capture one young woman in particular. Max had humiliated him time and again by managing to slip through his grasp. Lydecker vowed that he would not rest until she was back in his hands. 

* * *

Later that night MacLeod bolted straight out of bed as the presence of another Immortal coursed down his spine. His katana was propped against the wall within reach of the bed. He grabbed it seconds before the door to his apartment was kicked open. 

Holding the katana before him in a ready position, MacLeod stealthily made his way through the apartment. As he stopped at the end of the hallway leading between the living room and the bedroom, he saw a flash from the gun in the other man's hand. Methos, who had been sleeping on the couch, was thrown backward as the bullet lodged in his heart. The man was dead before he landed on the floor. The other Immortal was standing in the doorway. He was about six feet tall with silver blonde hair and craggy features. Physically, he appeared to be in his early 50's. This could be none other than Colonel Lydecker. 

'I'm Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, and I don't recall inviting you.' 

Lydecker turned toward MacLeod. _Damn._ He'd heard of MacLeod. Everyone called him the Highlander, and it was a general consensus that he was the leading contender for the prize. 'MacLeod. It's so good to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you over the years. They say you've gone soft. Well, after I finish off your friend here, maybe we can put that katana to the test.' 

Lydecker aimed his gun in MacLeod's direction. 'After all, you and your friend here have been sticking your noses in where they don't belong. Although, from what I hear, that's nothing new for you.' Lydecker glanced at Methos, who was still lifeless on the floor. 'Seems I may be doing quite a few people a favor by taking your head. Imagine, me being the one to bring down the mighty Highlander.' 

MacLeod hit the floor and rolled to the side just as Lydecker fired. He came to his feet seconds later, his katana drawn. He circled the room, keeping the furniture between himself and his visitor. 'I believe you have me at a loss. Have we met before?' The grin on his face and the glare in his eyes had been known send lesser Immortals running for cover. 'And removing my head is a lot harder than it looks.' MacLeod spared a glance for Methos. His friend was starting to return to life. 

'I guess it's only fair you know the name of the man who will be taking your Quickenings. I'm Lydecker.' 

'Ah, I see.' MacLeod moved around the room, drawing Lydecker's attention away from Methos. When Lydecker's back was to the downed Immortal, MacLeod saw his friend stealthily move into action. Methos silently stood and moved to stand behind the Colonel. Before Lydecker knew what was happening, Methos' sword was at his neck. 

'Give me one reason why I shouldn't take your neck right now and relieve all of us of a major pain in the ass?' 

Lydecker stiffened. 'I thought you were dead! You can't have revived that quickly!' 

'Well, age does have certain advantages.' Methos moved a step closer and pressed his sword harder into Lydecker's neck, causing a thin line of blood to appear on the man's skin. 'Now, why don't you answer my question?' 

MacLeod, watching the exchange between his friend and Lydecker, decided that he'd best intervene before a Quickening destroyed his apartment. Methos was very likely to act on his threat and take the Colonel's head. MacLeod quickly moved to stand in front of Lydecker. 

'I'm only going to say this once, so you better listen well. Forget about Manticore, forget about Max and forget about the others like her. Disappear. If you don't I'll let my friend here take your head with a pocket knife.' He ran his katana through Lydecker's heart, killing him instantly. 

Methos looked up at MacLeod, anger shading his features. 'Why did you interfere?' He reluctantly moved his sword away from Lydecker's neck. 

MacLeod shrugged and pulled his katana from Lydecker's chest. Without the support of the katana, Lydecker crumpled to a heap on the floor. MacLeod turned to open the window behind him – the window that overlooked the alley between his building and the neighboring one. 'Seemed like the thing to do at the time.' He hefted Lydecker's body and tossed it out the window. 'Besides, I don't want to have to explain to my landlord why a Quickening destroyed this apartment.' 

'Am I interrupting something?' Both MacLeod and Methos turned instantly toward the voice. Max was lounging against the splintered doorframe. 'Don't let me stop you.' She moved into the room. 'In fact, you've just done me a favor by getting rid of that bastard.' She sat down on the couch and propped her feet on the coffee table. 

MacLeod crossed his arms over his bare chest, and glared at his visitor. 'Was there something you wanted, Max?' 

Max looked at the hard, sculpted muscles of MacLeod's broad chest and shoulders, and nearly forgot her next thought. 'Yeah, MacLeod, I want some information. By the way, who's your friend?' 

'You do? Just what sort of information are you after? And how did you know my name is MacLeod?' There was no use denying the truth. 

MacLeod moved forward toward the door, pausing to knock her feet off the coffee table. He smiled to himself as he thought of the number of times he had performed that exact same action with Methos, who at that moment was slouched in the recliner across from Max, sword safely out of sight. MacLeod was about to close the door when a man in a wheelchair appeared. 

'Joseph Duncan?' MacLeod nodded. 'My name is Logan Cale, I'm sorry to come by so late, but there's something important I need to discuss with you.' 

MacLeod sighed. 'Come in, Mr. Cale, and join the crowd.' He stepped aside to allow Logan room to pass. The confused look that had crossed Logan's face disappeared when he saw Max standing in front of the couch. 

'Oh, Logan, that's so sweet,' she said sarcastically as she approached. 'Were you worried about me?' She leaned forward as though whispering a secret to Logan, but her eyes were on MacLeod. 'And his name is actually Duncan MacLeod.' Logan's eyes widened. 

'Sorry to interrupt, here, but why don't we move this conversation out of the doorway. Who knows who might over hear us, and I think there's something we all need to discuss.' 

Logan inclined his head toward the couch, indicating to Max that she should move back into the room. 'I believe you're right.' He followed closely behind her and waited for MacLeod to wrestle the door back into the shattered frame. He glanced at Methos. 'And you are?' 

'Ben Adams, a friend of the boy scout, here.' Methos remained in his sprawled position. 

'I thought your name was Methos?' Max asked. 

'Am I correct in assuming you had a visitor before Max got here?' Logan asked before Methos could reply. 

Max sat on the couch and again propped her feet on the coffee table, but at MacLeod's glare she quickly sat up. 'Lydecker. And I don't think we have to worry about him anymore. MacLeod and his friend took care of that problem for us.' She decided to let the matter of Methos' name drop for the moment. 

Logan glared briefly at Max before turning his attention to MacLeod. 'Care to explain?' 

'First of all, Lydecker isn't dead – just temporarily out of the picture.' MacLeod moved to the liquor cabinet sitting in the corner. He took out a bottle of scotch and held it up toward his guests. At their nods he poured three glasses of scotch and delivered two to Logan and Max. Taking the bottle, he placed it on the coffee table then took a seat in the armchair across from the couch. Looking at Methos he said, 'Beer's in the refrigerator help yourself.' 

The room was silent except for Methos' muttered grumbling about children no longer respecting their elders as he left the room to retrieve a beer. Logan looked at his tumbler of scotch and back at MacLeod. 'You can't just leave it at that. I at least want an explanation.' Max seconded his demand. 

MacLeod downed his drink in one swallow and briefly thought about pouring another. Deciding against it, he placed his glass on the end table and looked at Max. 'What I have to tell you does not leave this room. Can you agree to that?' 

Logan and Max glanced at each other. They were keeping each other's secrets, so what difference did one more make. 'We'll keep your secret,' Logan responded. 'We just want to get to the bottom of this so we can go on with our lives.' 

MacLeod nodded as Methos returned to the room and resumed his seat in the recliner. 'I will tell you up front that we have discovered Max's secret.' Max started to stand, but at a motion from Logan, she sat back down. 

'Go on,' Logan demanded. 

'Just like Max, we have a secret that could mean our deaths and the deaths of countless others if it were to become common knowledge.' MacLeod chose that moment to pour himself another drink. 'It's complicated. Max, you know that feeling you get whenever you're near me or Lydecker?' She nodded. 'That feeling is connected to both of our secrets. I did some research and came across the wanted poster Lydecker put out on you.' 

Max jumped to her feet. 'That warrant was false. I didn't kill those men. Lydecker just put that out to get his hands on me.' 

'Relax.' MacLeod held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. 'I know that. I traced the information on the warrant to Lydecker.' He inclined his head toward his friend. 'Then he traced Lydecker to Manticore.' 

The three men watched as Max paced around the room like a caged lioness. MacLeod thought that description probably wasn't far from the truth. Logan cleared his throat to get MacLeod's attention. 'You said that feeling, or whatever it is, is connected to Lydecker and to you. How are you involved?' 

'Like MacLeod said, it's complicated.' Methos shrugged. 'I hacked into Manticore's files and came across the information about Max's genetic makeup.' 

That caught Max's attention, and she returned to her seat on the couch. 'And?' 

'As I'm sure you already know, certain genetic sequences were added or modified to enhance your natural abilities.' Max nodded. 'One specific genetic sequence, that you may not even be aware of, was to enhance your healing ability. The information on that particular sequence indicated that Lydecker was either the source of the knowledge behind the genetic sequence or the genetic sequence itself.' Max shuddered. The thought of having part of Lydecker inside her made her sick. Methos continued, 'I wasn't sure which until Lydecker showed up here tonight.' 

'What are you talking about?' Logan demanded. 

'Lydecker is Immortal, and so are we.' 

'Immortal? That's impossible,' Max interrupted. 

MacLeod sighed. 'You were right, Max. My name is really Duncan MacLeod. I was born in 1592 in the Highlands of Scotland.' He gestured toward his friend. 'And his name is actually Methos. I won't tell you his age, but compared to him, I am a mere child. We are Immortal. We cannot die unless our heads are separated from our shoulders, and we heal most injuries in a matter of minutes.' 

Silence filled the room. Several moments later, Max shook her head. 'You're telling me that you, and Lydecker, can't die.' 

'Yes.' 

Logan picked up the thread of the conversation. 'And somehow by using Lydecker's DNA, Manticore was able to isolate whatever genetic information that gives you the ability for rapid healing.' 

MacLeod nodded. 'That's the conclusion we've come to. Methos also came across some information that those seizures you're prone to are the result of that genetic sequence.' 

'Okay, so where does this sensation come in?' 

'Immortals are able to sense when another Immortal is present. That sensation, as you put it, is sort of an early warning device. It's also how we prepare for combat to the death.' 

Max stood and walked over to the window – the same window out of which she had watched MacLeod throw Lydecker's body. She looked down at the alley below. His body was gone, and, for some reason, she wasn't the least bit surprised. 'So whatever it is that Manticore spiked my genetic code with to enhance healing also allows me to sense other people that have that same genetic sequence – someone like an Immortal or someone given the genetic information by Manticore.' 

'That about sums it up,' Methos agreed. 

Logan glanced at his watch. 'It's getting late, and we've all had quite a shock. What do you say we adjourn this meeting so Max and I have a chance to let what you told us sink in?' 

'That might be a good idea.' 

* * *

The next afternoon Max showed up at Logan's apartment as planned, and she had a little unexpected news. 

'MacLeod's skipped town,' she told Logan as she entered his office. 'I went by his apartment earlier. The door was standing wide open. The furniture's still there, but all of his personal stuff is gone.' 

'Does that really surprise you? I'm sure he has to move around quite a bit to keep his secret hidden.' Logan didn't mention the information he and Matt had compiled on MacLeod. He had known the man was hiding something, but he'd had no idea about the magnitude of that secret. 

Max pulled a large manila envelope from her backpack. 'He did leave something behind, though.' She tossed the envelope onto Logan's desk. Glancing through the contents of the envelope, Logan saw it was the information the two men had gathered on the Manticore Project. 

He flipped through the papers while Max stared out the window. Several minutes later, she broke the silence. 'What happens now?' 

Logan laid the papers in his lap and looked intently at his friend. 'Lydecker's still out there, and now you know what you have to do to stop him once and for all.' 

Max turned to look at him. 'Yeah, but the one thing I've always vowed not to do is kill to protect myself. So, I guess that just means I just go on like before, trying to stay out of his grasp.' She grabbed her jacket of a nearby chair and she moved toward the door. 'Gotta go. I'll catch you later.' 

As he watched Max leave, Logan absently rubbed the dull ache that was developing in his thigh. After Max gave him a couple of blood transfusions, he had started slowly regaining the use of his legs. Apparently the stem cells in the transfused blood were healing the damage caused by the bullets that had ripped through his back and damaged his spinal cord. He couldn't help but wonder if Immortals had the same abundance of stem cells in their blood streams and what would happen to someone who was given a blood transfusion from an Immortal. It was no wonder they hide themselves from society. 

* * *

© 2001   
Please send comments to the author! 

03/11/2000 

Enchantress 

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